Beulah Petunia drinks 20-30 gallons of water a day. There is no creek for her now that we’ve moved her up closer to the house, though there are springs on the hillside that create pools of water throughout most of the year. It’s incredibly dry right now, though, so that doesn’t help. We have a hose run out to the chicken house to fill the ducks’ pool and the chickens’ water, and I use that to fill 5-gallon buckets several times a day for Beulah Petunia.

There’s a leak in the hose that squirts water into the chicken yard whenever I’m filling Beulah Petunia’s buckets.

Need I say more?

The ducks take turns sticking their beaks right into the spurting water. Such a simple thing, and it makes them so happy.

I love ducks!

P.S. Aside from the crowing, that noise you hear? That’s what guineas sound like.

When did you get guineas?? I would so love to have a couple guineas. They are suppose to be really good watch “dogs”. But my husband says they are to messy. Is that true? Or is he pulling the wool over my eyes?? I love ducks too, and the chickens, and the cow, and the calf, and the goats, and the sheep, and the donkeys, and the dogs, and the cats, etc. etc. etc.

I love the sound of the guineas! I”m gonna have to get some next spring, but will have to keep them in a box by the woodstove till they feather out. I need good watch dogs – but don’t want them to bother my cats. I love your videos if anything for the sounds – I just love farm animals, and all of their distinctive sounds. The ducks look like they’re in Duck Heaven – too funny. Thanks for sharing your wonderful life with all of us. Take care Suzanne – I am moving to the country tomorrow, so will have some of the great night sounds, and there is a pond near the cabin, so am hoping I get to hear some frogs – and of course, the crickets. And then there’s the cicadas during the day, etc, etc. Can’t wait! From central KY, soon to be south-central KY.

I’ve never known a mean duck….but I have known two drunken ducks…and they got a little messy after feeding on Polk berries….Waddle, purple spirt..stagger waddle spirt, waddle spirt….etc. ect. ect. all the while happily quacking along the walkway….
Love the guineas..my Grannies guineas roosted in the trees so they could keep watch on everything…a pin could drop and they would sound off like a five alarm siren……

Suzanne, we love your video of the duck drinking fountain and the barnyard sounds — you are so generous to share these one-of-a-kind farm moments with us. My boys and I are longing to have guineas — but so is our dog Pepper, who rules the fenced yard. The man next door (affectionately known as Crazy Neighbor) says if we got them they’d perch in the trees in our woods and show up for supper. Does this sound like credible advice to you?

I use a hose to water my critters as well. But rather than drag it out to fill buckets I set up a self watering system. I use a float valve that fits on the end of a hose and then clamps on the side of a watering tub. I use it on a bucket as I have smaller critters. This thing is kindof like the float in the toilet bowl. When the animal drinks it opens up and lets in water till the bucket fills and then it turns off. This makes it so the animals always have fresh water and I don’t have to carry it out to them. Sure miss it in the winter when the outside water gets shut off and I do have to carry buckets.
But if you use one you need a hose that doesn’t leak.

Catherine, guineas aren’t very smart. I tried letting mine out and ended up having to put them back in with the ducks. They can get turned around and lost two steps out of the chicken yard. They wander into the vegetable garden and can’t find their way out. Etc. Whether your dog would get after them or not depends on your dog. (Do you have chickens? Does your dog get after your chickens? If you have a dog that will go after chickens, then they will also go after guineas.)

Like Marilyn, I’m thinking there has to be an easier way. Can you build a little pond, assuming no one is likely to fall in? You could keep it open in the winter with those things they use for koi ponds.

Guineas are LOUD, but not really messy. They are loud Loud LOUD though!!!! If you have nearby neighbors, use caution if you are thinking about guineas. But, they eat bugs like CRAZY and they don’t tear up gardens the way chickens will, they don’t eat vegetation much the way hens will and don’t scratch as much, but man do they eat bugs! They’re supposed to be one of the best solutions to ticks there is. No they’re not very smart, and do wander away and get lost very easily.

Yes, you can eat the eggs and they don’t taste any different than hens eggs, but they’re a bit small and the shells are very thick and hard.

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"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die."Keep reading our story....

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